Rosewood Kingdom

Calm Before the Storm

Present day; 1328

"I propose that we extend our lands to where there isn't a drought at this time of year."

"How many families or men would sign up for such an assignment? None of which have been outside of these borders." The king reminds them quickly. "I don't want to exhaust our resources going much further than we need to. We have to remain focused on what we need to do."

"My King!" a maiden yelled through the halls as he held an important meeting. The crops were failing, and people were starting to get antsy. He lifts an eyebrow. "The Queen is in labor."

"Already?" he asks with a small frown on his face. Part of him knew the baby would try to come sometime soon. His wife had been complaining about pains for days now. Still, he hoped the baby would wait a little longer.

The maiden nodded her head in urgency. "We must move quickly." And with that she leaves the meeting.

His nobles look to him for the final decision anyway. "We will try to extend our lands." The king leaves the men to prepare.

Down two flights of stairs, he makes it to his queen's quarters. "York!" she yelled. Her handmaidens awaited the baby's arrival anxiously. He waited anxiously at the door of her chamber.

"I am here." He yelled from outside. His wife, Queen Millicent of Shadowcourt, let out a painful growl. She gripped the cross in her hand as she pushed the baby.

"One more, Queen Millicent, just one more." The midwife encouraged her. Sweat made her dark, coily hair curl up even more.

"I'm so tired." she mumbled, looking into her husband's stormy grey eyes in the painting in the chamber.

"Just one more." The midwife promised her again. The wave of pain washed over her again before she pushed the young heir to the Shadowcourt throne to life. The room was deadly silent as they waited.

After a few minutes, a loud wail brought everybody's attention down to the midwife, who held him gently. "A boy." She announced. York heard her from the door.

"A boy!" he cheered loudly.

"Oh!" Millicent cheered. "I guess that's fine. I wanted a girl." She teased her husband.

"I guess I love you anyway." He teased her right back.

York smirked triumphantly. A son, he thought with pride. A prince. My son...

Although it was against custom, the midwife let the King in the birthing chamber. The handmaidens cleaned her up as best as they could before leaving the mother and father to privacy.

The icy castle concerned York at this time. More than usual. So, he thought to put a couple heavy blankets on Millicent their yet to be named child. She held him to her bosom so he could feed.

In the wee hours of the night, York had yet to fall asleep. He kept watching his wife and son in amazement and pride. He took a step to the bed for the first time to caress her cheek. Her face was ice cold, despite the fire and blankets. "Milly?"

The baby didn't stir. His forehead is cold too.

York stood back from the bed in horror. Surely not... surely not. He ran out of the chamber as the midwife returned to do a check. "My wife is dead." He hollered in shock. The woman looked at him in confusion.

"She was just..." the woman does a check for herself. Ice cold bodies. She flings the covers back. Blood is everywhere. Nothing but blood. "My King...my king." The woman mumbled in shock. "My king...they are gone."

York lets out a broken cry. His family was gone...

One week later, the funeral procession started for Queen Millicent and Baby Prince of Shadowcourt. King York of Shadowcourt entered the church last, wearing all white with a golden crown. Queen Millicent and the baby were also dressed in white, laying in the same casket in a similar position as when they died together. Nobles and knights bowed to him in tribute. Millicent's mother and father were also present.

As the only child, she was their pride and joy. So much so that when they were approached about going to grooming school to one day become a noblewoman or queen, her parents quickly gave her up. York met the young woman in grooming school as a young prince and instantly fell in love with her.

The choir from the church sang. The Pope himself said a series of prayers and the choir sang again. York let out a few tears himself.

Finally, he was given a chance to speak. "First, I would like to thank you all for coming out tonight. Milly loved the nighttime; she said the world came alive at night." The crowd let out a quick chuckle. "So, I had to honor her love for it in the only way that was acceptable. As you know, we'd tried for a number of years for an heir..." King York stopped for a moment. "She wanted a little baby so bad. I know she loved our son before he was even here. Those precious moments we shared with him are the moments I'll share with her for the rest of my life."

He wipes his face. "Thank you, Milly. Please watch over me and Shadowcourt."

One month later, the Council met without King York while he was out in the extended lands to survey the potential for crops.

"The midwife said she saw an ungodly amount of blood surrounding Queen Millicent and the Baby Prince."

"That's what she said."

"Are you suggesting that King York killed his wife?" the noble looked at the other in concern. "Because..."

"He was the last one to see them both alive. That tells me all I would need to know."

"In that case..." the group agreed. They drew up the charges and waited for King York to return.

The next day, York returned with good news for the Council. Knights aligned the inner wall, awaiting to arrest him. His most trusted knight grabbed him. "Unhand me!" he yelled. "Unhand me this instant!" he yelled.

"I'm under strict orders to bring you to the Council immediately." he spoke in a monotone. York is marched to the court with a gang of knights on each side of him. The Council of Nobles sat awaiting his arrival.

"York of Shadowcourt. Presumed former king." The head noble rose to read the charges. "You are accused of murder of Queen Millicent and Baby Prince of Shadowcourt. How do you plead?"

"Innocent! I did not kill my wife and child!" he yelled angrily.

"There have been eyewitness accounts of King York being the last person to see both the baby and Queen alive. Is that true?"

"We were alone in the birthing chamber yes."

"So, you admit that you killed your wife and child?"

"No! I touched her forehead, and she was already ice cold."

"So how did she die?"

"I don't know!"

"Hmm...we sentence you to...death! Take him away guards!"